Giles Stiff-arms Boos With 4-touchdown Performance

October 21, 1985|By Tim Povtak of The Sentinel Staff

MIAMI — Hold those boos for now. The two most maligned players on the most maligned team in pro football played like champions Sunday afternoon.

The Tampa Bay Bucaneers -- now the only winless team in the National Football League -- were thrilling in defeat. Quarterback Steve DeBerg, the quarterback most Bucs fans want replaced, was brilliant. Tight end Jimmie Giles, the former All-Pro the Bucs' fans now love to mock, returned to All-Pro form.

Take that, boo birds.

The Bucs lost to the Miami Dolphins, 41-38, in the Orange Bowl but not the way anyone expected. DeBerg and Giles staged a thrilling comeback only to be one-upped by Miami kicker Fuad Reveiz's 43-yard field goal in the closing seconds.

''You're still going to have critics when you're 0-7,'' DeBerg said. ''I realize that. But what happened today just proves we're not going to quit, regardless of the circumstances.''

DeBerg, the Bucs' blue-collar quarterback, completed 19 of 32 passes for 365 yards and four touchdowns, tying a club record. At least for now, he also silenced those who would rather see highly touted, millionaire Steve Young calling the signals.

''This is a sign of things to come,'' DeBerg said. ''We had to score, and we did. We had to open up, and we did. Jimmie Giles was just awesome.''

Giles was All-Pro during the 1980, '81 and '82 seasons but is remembered more recently for his offsides and holding penalties and his lack of impact on the struggling Bucs offense.

Sunday he changed all that. Giles caught seven passes from DeBerg for 116 yards and all four touchdowns, which set a Tampa Bay record for scores in one game.

''I hate to use the phrase, 'I can still play,' because I never doubted my ability,'' Giles said. ''But if they use me, I can come through.''

Giles had caught only three touchdown passes in the previous 2 1/2 seasons. He has been used more as a blocker but has been criticized for his lack of blocking effectiveness.

Sunday was the first time any player had caught four touchdown passes against Miami's proud but now-struggling defense. In the six previous games, Giles had 14 catches for 213 yards and no scores.

''It's a great feeling to know you can still catch the football if given the opportunity,'' Giles said. ''If you don't get the football, you can't make the plays. Today, I got the chance.''

Much of Giles' performance was based on Miami's defense, which gears toward stopping the wide receivers but plays mostly man-to-man defense against the tight end.

Giles caught a 15-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, closing Miami's lead to 24-14 just before halftime.

He caught a 39-yard touchdown in the third period when he got behind the coverage down the middle, closing the gap to 31-21.

His finest touchdown, and DeBerg's finest pass, was a 7-yard strike, thrown perfectly, low to the ground, the only place it could have worked between two defenders. Giles made a diving catch, his arms outstretched, in the end zone. That made it 38-28.

His last score was a 16-yard reception, when he ran over safety Glenn Blackwood at the 4-yard line.

''I really felt we dictated what we could do, instead of letting the defense dictate,'' DeBerg said. ''Our play-action passes worked well. We attacked where we wanted to. We just ran out of time.''